Pete Pokrandt

Sisters and brothers,

Happy Monday to all and happy belated Mothers’ Day to all moms! Yesterday, we worshiped and lifted up the name of Jesus. There is no other Name by which we must be saved. We desired in worship to more fully “Behold Our God,” https://youtu.be/Gqrli3Lkf58. We then looked at 1 Corinthians 4 and thought about renouncing our pride and walking in humility before God and others. As we looked at

1 Corinthians 4, we saw some questions we needed to ask ourselves. Are we seeing life and this world from God’s perspective as it really is? Do we have a proud and elevated view of ourselves instead of realizing we are simply servants of God seeking to help others follow Jesus? Are we helping others see that following Jesus often means suffering for the truth of Jesus because we follow the One who suffered for us? Are we willing to love people enough to tell them the truth rather than reinforce their wrong and destructive views of life? Believers are called to renounce self-centered pride and seek to walk in complete humility with our great and awesome God.

During the weeks between Mothers’ Day and Fathers’ Day, we are passing out baby bottles for us to collect offerings for the CareNet Pregnancy Center of Dane County. CareNet does wonderful work of saving lives and helping women and families. Take a bottle and fill it with an offering to be returned on Fathers’ Day.

We are a part of the CarePortal network which seeks to minister to children and families in the foster care system. We need responders who can be a part of receiving email requests from CarePortal so we can effectively process these requests. If you would like to know more about being a CarePortal responder, let me know and I can pass your name and email to Alicia. Alicia can then send you a link to a video explaining more about the work of responders.

Remember to keep praying continually for each other. None of us know fully the burdens our brothers and sisters in Christ might be carrying.

Love being your pastor!

Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church

Brothers and sisters,

Happy Monday to all! Yesterday we had a wonderful time in worship as we praised the Lord together and thanked Him for who He is and for His faithfulness to His children. We then looked in 1 Corinthians 3 and thought about true maturity contrasted with worldly wisdom. True maturity in Christ focuses on following Jesus and not any man or system. True maturity is more than Biblical knowledge but involves growing in Christlike character. True maturity in Christ reveals itself in the believer manifesting increasingly the fruit of the Holy Spirit, which is “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control,” (Galatians 5:22-23). True maturity rejects the wisdom of the world which is folly. True maturity embraces the foolishness of the cross and resurrection of Jesus, which is the power of God to salvation for all who believe. True maturity is genuine godly wisdom. I do not want us to just think we are wise people. I want us to be a truly wise people who understand that true wisdom and power are found in the cross and resurrection of Jesus. I want us to grow intellectually in our understanding of God, but I want, more than that, for us to also grow to be more like Jesus. I want us to do what Philippians 2 instructs us. It tells us to have “the mind in us that was in Christ Jesus.” It tells us to seek to “do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than ourselves.” It tells us to, “look not only to our own interests, but also to the interests of others.”  I want us to be characterized by the fruit of the Spirit. I want us to build upon the foundation of Jesus Christ and invest in others and eternity. I do not want us to waste our lives. Maturing children of God walk in humility and unselfish love knowing all we possess because we belong to Jesus.

Remember to keep praying continually for each other. None of us know fully the burdens our brothers and sisters in Christ might be carrying.

Love being your pastor!

Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church

Sisters and brothers,

Happy Monday to all! Yesterday we worshipped our great God, the Creator and Redeemer of the universe. We remember the great price He paid to make people from every tribe, language, people, and nation part of His forever Kingdom. We learned from 1 Corinthians 1 about true wisdom, the eternal wisdom of Almighty God. We asked ourselves, “Which wisdom do we possess? Is it the wisdom of this age that sees life only as for here, now, and what is in it for us? Or have we believed in Jesus and have begun to understand the eternal wisdom of God that is of the age to come? Do we think like many of this age that all of us simply possess a personal truth that is different for every person? Or do we embrace the One who said, “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life.” Do we see that God’s revealed wisdom confounds the false wisdom of this age? Do we comprehend that God’s Spirit lives in the lives of believers to reveal things God has for them now and in the future? Do we know that persons apart from the Spirit of God refuse to receive God’s wisdom for they are foolishness to them?The Spirit of God opens the minds of believers to understand God’s true eternal wisdom. If we believe and embrace Jesus Christ as Savior and the Ruler of our lives, we can begin to understand the eternal wisdom of God.

We will have a potluck luncheon following our morning worship next Sunday, May 5. Bring enough food for you family and a little extra for guest we might have.

Remember to keep praying continually for each other. None of us know fully the burdens our brothers and sisters in Christ might be carrying.

Love being your pastor!

Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church

Brothers and sisters,

Happy Monday to all! Yesterday as we read Isaiah 55 and looked at 1 Corinthians 1 and 2, we saw how God’s ways and thoughts are far above our ways and thoughts. The wisdom of people seems right in one generation only to be rejected by the next generation. However, as high as the heavens are above the earth, so our God’s wisdom, ways, and thoughts higher than our wisdom, ways, and thoughts. God uses the weak and the foolish of the world to shame the wise and powerful. God uses the powerless and the poor and lowly to show His great salvation and power through them. God calls many of those no one else would call. Do you think God cannot use you? Think again! You can be the one that proclaims Jesus crucified and risen to some weak or desperate person and see the cross of Christ change their lives forever. God choses the weak, powerless, and foolish things of the world to show the greatness of His eternal salvation.

We will observe the Lord’s Super during our morning worship next Sunday, April 28^th.

Remember to keep praying continually for each other. None of us know fully the burdens our brothers and sisters in Christ might be carrying.

Love being your pastor!

Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church

Sisters and brothers,

Happy Monday to all! Yesterday we worshipped the only true and living God who gave His Son Jesus to die in our place on the cross. From 1 Corinthians 1, we looked at the difference between the wisdom of God and the wisdom of the world. We learned that the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength. Man’s wisdom never answers the deepest questions of life. Man’s wisdom can never discover where forgiveness, purpose, meaning, and eternal life can be found. The wisdom of the world, those who are perishing, look at the crucifixion of Jesus on the cross and sees weakness and folly. However, those who believe and are saved know the Jesus’ death on the cross is the very wisdom and power of God. Through the cross our sins can be forgiven. Through the weakness of the cross, we can find forgiveness, life, and purpose. Hope for forgiveness and life for any person comes through the weakness and the foolishness of the cross of Christ.

Remember to keep praying continually for each other. None of us know fully the burdens our brothers and sisters in Christ might be carrying.

Love being your pastor!

Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church

Brothers and sisters,

Happy early Monday to all! Today, from 1 Corinthians 1, we looked at how God sees His people and what the status of believers is before Him at all times. We also asked ourselves, “How do I see others and myself?” Do we see things and people as they are and ask “Why?” Or do we dream of things and people as God wants them to be and ask, “Why not?” Do we see others and ourselves as messed up people with messed up lives that will never change? Or do we see people with potential and as they can become in Christ? I want to look at a Simon and see a Peter. I want to look at a greedy Zachaeus and see a generous and changed man who loves his neighbors. I want to see a Saul who persecutes the church changed into a Paul who takes the gospel around the world. I want to look at a pretty messed up Bob Ray and see a man that God is changing to be more and more like Jesus. God’s effective and gracious call to believe in Jesus sustains and changes His forever children.We might not be there yet, but we will be there one day.

Our annual church business meeting will be held next Sunday, April 14, 2024, following our morning worship.

Remember to keep praying continually for each other. None of us know fully the burdens our brothers and sisters in Christ might be carrying.

Love being your pastor!

Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church

Sisters and brothers,

Happy Easter Monday to all! Jesus is risen and He is risen indeed! Yesterday we celebrated Resurrection Sunday by worshipping our living Lord. From Matthew 28, we looked at the events surrounding Jesus’ resurrection. Believers stake our very lives and eternal destinies on the truth that Jesus rose from the dead and is the only risen Lord and Savior of men, women, boys, and girls. Today, every person must decide if they think Jesus’ resurrection is true or fake news. Do not make the decision lightly. Carefully examine the evidence and decide if you believe Jesus is the risen Lord or not. If Jesus rose from the dead, He is the only way to forgiveness. If Jesus rose from the dead, we owe Him our lives to love, know, and live for Him every single day. Your eternal destiny rides on what you decide. Christians believe and claim that Jesus Christ physically and bodily rose from the grave.

Our annual church business meeting will be held on Sunday, April 14, 2024, following our morning worship.

Remember to keep praying continually for each other. None of us know fully the burdens our brothers and sisters in Christ might be carrying.

Love being your pastor!

Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church

Brothers and sisters,

Happy Monday to all! Yesterday, we worshiped, and we joined with the followers of Jesus who on the triumphal entry we call Palm Sunday cried out, “Hosanna, Lord save us! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest!” We looked at the Scripture readings from Luke 19 and then from Matthew 21 and examined that event. Jesus was sending shockwaves through Jerusalem as He deliberately arranged to enter the city. Jesus further sent shockwaves through the city as He deliberately claimed authority over the temple. We recognize today that Jesus still sends shockwaves as He claims He is Lord and Christ. Jesus claims we and every person needs the forgiveness He freely offers. All need to surrender our lives to Jesus as Lord. Jesus did not come so we could go on with life as normal. Jesus came to send shockwaves to our lives individually and to the cities, states, and nations to which we belong. Jesus came to save us from our sin that we might not live for ourselves but for Him who died for us and rose again. Jesus claims to be Messiah and King and seeks for each of us to submit to Him as King and Lord of our lives. What will we do with Jesus and His claims on our lives?

We will have a special Good Friday communion service on Friday, March 29, at 7:00 PM. Also, on Resurrection Sunday, Easter, March 31, we will have an Easter Breakfast at 9:30 AM in place of Bible Study. There is a sign-up sheet for this breakfast on the back table by the offering plates.

Remember to keep praying continually for each other. None of us know fully the burdens our brothers and sisters in Christ might be carrying.

Love being your pastor!

Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church

Sisters and brothers,

Happy Monday to all! Yesterday, we worshipped our great God and thanked Him for the hope we have because of His great love and sacrifice for us demonstrated in Christ Jesus. We then looked at 2 Peter 3 and thought about the truth of the bodily and physical return of Jesus to rule and reign forever. Yes, Jesus is coming again! We know it will happen because we remember God’s past workings and great interventions. We know it will happen because we are informed of the reasons for the delay of Christ’s Second Coming. The eternal God is not bound by how we perceive time because a thousand years are as a day and a day as a thousand years. We know that God delays the Second Coming of Jesus to give people a chance to turn from sin and believe in Jesus and be saved. Because we know Jesus will come again, we are diligent to seek to live every moment in ways pleasing to God. Because we know Jesus will come again, we are continually seeking to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. As Isaac Watts wrote:

Jesus shall reign where’er the sun
Does its successive journeys run;
His kingdom stretch from shore to shore,
Till moons shall wax and wane no more.

Christ Jesus physically, bodily, and absolutely comes again to make everything new! Live in that sure hope today. Though the world mocks this blessed hope, we stand on its certainty.

We will have a special Good Friday communion service on Friday, March 29, at 7:00 PM. Also, on Resurrection Sunday, Easter, March 31, we will have an Easter Breakfast at 9:30 AM in place of Bible Study on that morning. There is a sign-up sheet for this breakfast on the back table by the offering plates.

Remember to keep praying continually for each other. None of us know fully the burdens our brothers and sisters in Christ might be carrying.

Love being your pastor!

Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church

Brothers and sisters,

Happy Monday to all! Yesterday we celebrated the goodness of the Lord as God’s family at East Madison. Then from 2 Peter 2 we learned more how to spot false prophets and false teaching. False prophets in their teaching promise freedom, ease, and wealth without taking up your cross and following Jesus. They promise fulfilment without turning from sin continually. Do not be misled by their deception. Jesus saves us from sin and continually delivers us from sin. Sin is not the master of those whose master is Jesus. Jesus of Scripture, who lived a sinless life, died in our place, who rose again from the grave, who ascended to heaven and who one day will come again to judge the living and the dead is the One we must believe in. This true Jesus saves us from our sins to live for Him. No matter what it might cost us to live for His glory in this life, He is worth it! Do not follow a false Jesus taught by false teachings and teachers. Beware of the influence of false teachers. Be aware of the sure judgment of false teachers. Examine the character of all teachers. See the results of false teachers and their false teachings. False teaching points us away from God’s salvation from sin found only in Jesus Christ.

Tomorrow evening, Tuesday, March 12, at 7:00 PM, the Emmaus Bible College choir will be at the East Madison building to share a concert with us. Invite friends to join you at this concert!

Remember to keep praying continually for each other. None of us know fully the burdens our brothers and sisters in Christ might be carrying.

Love being your pastor!

Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church